by Em Petrova
“My dad took me up to a ranch after a fire to do what I could to help out. And I saw so much destruction, not just for the family but for the wildlife. And from then on, I was hooked.”
He smiled. “I love that you care about the newts so much.”
She giggled. “Everyone must have thought I was crazy screaming like I did about the maze being in the area of a protected species.”
He reached over and touched a curl that lay on her cheek. The warmth of his fingers stole over all her thoughts. “I found it endearing.”
Then they were turning into the ranch drive and she couldn’t find a response anyway.
A minute later, they were surrounded by kids and barking dogs. The chaos of the entire Dalton clan unfolded before Lilah, and she found herself shooting sideways glances at Easton. Watching him tease the kids and toss them up in the air showed how much of a family man he really was. When the guys carried several folding tables out into the yard, he was right there to help and then went back in for folding chairs, hefting many on each arm.
“Look at Easton showing off for you,” Susannah whispered, leaning close and bringing a whiff of her sweet perfume with her.
Lilah waved her away. “He isn’t showing off for me—he’s trying to one-up your husband.”
“Believe what you want.” She gave her a one-armed squeeze. “I’m so glad you came up to join us. C’mon, let’s help Maggie get the food on the table.”
The old-fashioned ways of men doing the heavy lifting while the women toiled over the meal didn’t even bother Lilah. She was all for equality, but she’d also been present when the menfolk cleared the table and Susannah told her Ford had fixed her a pot of soup when she had a cold. It seemed they’d all been raised to be men that everyone should strive to be.
She made a mental note to tell her little brothers they needed to step up their game, but when she looked up to find Easton staring straight at her, her mind turned to pudding.
“See?” Susannah nudged her.
Lilah smacked her again, reducing her friend to giggles. From twenty feet away, Easton saw what happened and a big grin plastered across his face.
Damn, that grin could do some naughty things to a woman. Imagine what the rest of him can do.
The women paraded inside to get the food and Easton came too, taking big dishes of potatoes out of Lilah’s hands.
“I got this. Go on out and find us some seats.”
Feeling a nervous shiver in her stomach, she went into the yard again. Kids were already being seated by their dads and Lilah stood back, waiting to see where everybody landed around the tables set end-to-end like a cartoon of a big Thanksgiving feast.
A large body brushed against hers, and she jerked around to see Easton leaning around her to set a bowl of potatoes on the table.
Up close, his eyes were impossibly blue. Like there was no name for that color.
Sure there is—it’s called gorgeous.
“You didn’t get us seats.” His words were pitched low, his breath washing over her neck and raising the hairs on it.
“Um… I didn’t want to split up families so I figured I’d wait till they all got seated.”
He walked two chairs down and pulled one out for her. Feeling a little dizzy, she accepted the seat, ducking her head when Susannah shot her an I-told-you-so look.
She didn’t need Susannah jumping on the bandwagon as well. Her libido and her heart were already doing that just fine on their own. Once they were all sitting down, a little girl waved her hand in the air like she sat in a classroom. “Can I say grace?”
Lilah still didn’t know all the Dalton children’s names. Who could keep up when it seemed like someone was pregnant at all times? She didn’t see any baby bumps among the women right now but that didn’t mean someone wasn’t early in her pregnancy.
Maybe even Susannah.
Lilah smiled to think of her friend having a family and that immediately launched her into thoughts of her own family. She wanted kids like most people, but she was busy with her work and didn’t think scouring the countryside for Mr. Lilah was something she wanted to do at the moment.
Next to her, Easton shifted on his chair, bringing her attention to him. He caught her gaze and she fell headlong into that stare.
“Amen,” the little girl said.
Oh God. Lilah’d missed the whole prayer. She echoed an amen and made a vow not to get so lost in Easton that she couldn’t focus on the world around her. From now on, she’d be cool and level-headed where Easton was concerned.
Until he reached under the table and took the hand that rested on her lap.
She sat bolt straight, her attention fixed on the platter of ham in front of her. She’d need to extricate her hand from his grasp if she was going to both take a slice and then pass the platter down the table.
But he didn’t seem to be letting go anytime soon.
She turned her hand up and pinched him between fingers in the soft webbed part. He chuckled softly and released her hand.
Somehow, her plate got filled and a fork got into her hand but she had no recollection of any of it. What was going on with Easton? His flirtations were one thing. But he’d boldly kissed her not once but several times and touching her in front of his family was a sure sign that the man was up to something.
Maybe he’d been put up to another bet and instead of cupcakes, he’d get ham. Yeah, meat seemed like something a cowboy would strive to win.
The notion was so crazy that she shook her head.
“Lilah has an idea that maybe some of the proceeds from tonight’s maze should go to a family who also lost their livelihood to a fire.” Easton’s words had her blinking rapidly to catch up to the conversation.
“Who’s that, Easton?” Mr. Dalton asked in his country drawl.
“Uh, their name is Greer.”
He nodded as he forked up some peas. “Know of ’em. What do you think, Susannah girl?”
She looked down at her plate a moment, silent. For a heartbeat, panic rose in Lilah. Oh no, she’d wanted the funds for some other cause and here Lilah had gone and ruined it.
But her friend lifted her head, revealing eyes shining with tears. “You’ve got to be the sweetest, kindest woman I’ve ever met, Lilah Sherman. Always thinking of others. Of course we would love to donate a portion to the family. It’s the least we could do.”
“Yeah!” one of the older kids chimed in, which caused the family to laugh and broke the moment.
Lilah smiled at her friend, though, feeling her heart burst with affection for her. Then for the child seated next to Susannah who shoved a biscuit whole into his mouth, sending crumbles down his little plaid shirt. And then the little one beside him who tossed a handful of peas across the table.
For all of them.
Rough, warm fingers touched the back of her hand. She swung her gaze up to Easton. Dammit, she didn’t want to be so smitten by him, but how could she help but not be?
He gave her a crooked grin that set her to smoldering. She wouldn’t be surprised to see the food start boiling on the table because she was sitting at it.
How she was going to make it through the evening with this man nearby she couldn’t imagine. Since he’d turned up at her door, she’d been thinking of nothing but him kissing her. Grabbing her, bending his head to hers…
He strummed his fingertip across the back of her knuckles. “Ride with me to the maze. Don’t go without me, okay?”
She couldn’t come up with a reason to deny him so she just nodded.
Was it wrong for her to hope for some more stolen kisses?
* * * * *
Easton stood like a sentry in the middle of the maze, directing kids and families through the warren of hay bales. The whole ranch seemed to hum with the feel of a party, and his mind kept turning to that Halloween night so long ago.
“Do we go right or left?” the twentieth child asked him as they reached him.
He just shrugged and then pointed both
right and left.
“He’s no help!” the kid practically squealed with mirth and then shot off running to the left.
He was tall enough that in some places where the land dipped a bit, he could see over the top of the hay bale wall. He kept looking out for the strawberry blonde curls but of course, Lilah was too short for him to see. Several times he’d considered leaving his post and going off in search of her. But no, she’d be upset with him. It was her idea to post guards in every branch so nobody got lost again.
Despite the festivity of the evening, time seemed to drag on. When he spotted his cousin Cash coming his way, he called out, “Hey, would you mind takin’ this post for me?”
“How long you been standing there?” Cash asked with a grin.
“Long enough.”
He twitched his head. “Yeah, go on. I’ll take it from here.”
Easton bolted, diving into the heart of the maze in search of Lilah. She wasn’t standing where he thought he’d left her.
But she was alone.
Heart kicking as hard as a mule, he walked up behind her, grabbed her by the shoulders and whirled her to face him.
“Easton! You scar—”
He cut her off with his kiss. All the pent-up need inside him blasted outward and he yanked her onto tiptoe as he thrust his tongue into her mouth. A quiet moan escaped her, and he backed her up to the wall of hay, cushioning the back of her head against the scratchy stuff.
Deepening the kiss, he grew aware of a giggle behind them but ignored it.
Lilah yanked free, though. “There are kids around.”
“So they’ve gotta learn some time.”
“Easton!” She gave him a stern look but laughter sounded in her voice. She pressed against his chest, rocking him back a step. “We can’t do this.”
He looked down at her closely. “Can’t do it here or can’t do it at all?”
“Both. Either. Easton, I thought I made it clear that—”
“Shh.” He brushed his lips across hers once. She let out a gasp of air. “Why fight it? Have you ever in your life felt something like this before?”
Her mouth worked but nothing came out.
“Don’t fight it,” he pleaded, swooping in again. He kissed her harder this time, showing her just how much he wanted from her, hands locked on her waist as he plundered her mouth.
She broke free and stumbled away. Before she could go three steps, he grabbed for her arm, whirling her back. She came into his arms easy this time and they threw themselves at each other with abandon. Having her clutching at his shirt, his hair, as she worked her tongue over his made him bleary with desire.
“Let’s get out of here,” he muttered between open-mouthed kisses.
“Can’t… leave my… post.”
“To hell with it.” He was about to pick her up and storm through the hay wall to get out of there.
She lay a cool hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes, jerking him to reality. “We can’t walk out now. We’ve got another hour left and we’ll be short-handed.”
He swallowed, pulse a steady rhythm in his ears. “You’re right. Damn. If I don’t walk away from you right this minute, I’m in real danger of stealing you away.” He started to go.
“Easton.” Her voice came out breathy.
He turned back. Christ, she was beautiful, hair disheveled and eyes too bright.
“I’ll come find you. Okay?”
He fisted his hands to keep from dragging her back into his arms again. He nodded and continued out of the maze. In the open fields, people gathered, talking and laughing. Kids were stuffing themselves with Emma’s cookies and some played a game of chase in the field nearby.
He stopped in his tracks and stood there for long minutes, just watching everything, feeling apart from it all. This was his family, a ranch he loved. And the woman who’d walked back into his life was driving him mad.
“You look a little dazed. Had enough of the screaming kids, bro?” Ford clapped him on the back, breaking him from his thoughts.
He scrubbed a hand over his face, and Lilah’s faint perfume clinging to his skin had him ready to bolt back into the maze again to find her.
“Man, what’s up with you?” Ford laughed.
“Nothin’. Just getting some air.”
Ford started to say something else but Easton’s cell rang. He reached for it by reflex and brought it to his ear without looking who was calling.
“Dalton.”
“Hey, man, it’s Mike.”
His mind tripped over the name, so far removed from anything but family was he.
“From the rig.”
He nodded as it all flooded back to him. “Hi, Mike.” It took him a full second before he realized if they were calling, they must need him.
And that would drag him away from Paradise Valley.
Away from Lilah.
He tried to listen to what Mike was saying. “Look, I know you’re on leave, but something came up and we could use you.”
“Can’t you get one of the replacements?”
“Not for this. Dalton, it’s crew chief.”
He stared out over the field, in his mind seeing the rig and all the lights it needed to run it at night. And knowing this job wouldn’t likely be offered to him twice.
“When do you need me to step in?” he asked, throat tightening on the sentence.
“Tonight if you can make it here.”
“I can’t.” He couldn’t make that drive and still prove to Lilah how he felt about her.
“Tomorrow then. Soon as you can.”
“All right.” Why didn’t he sound happy to be getting promoted to a position he’d been hoping for since day one?
“Man, you’re gonna be great. See ya tomorrow, Dalton.”
He pocketed the phone. Ford was staring at him. “What was that about?”
“I need to find Lilah.” He turned back for the maze.
* * * * *
She didn’t know what to think about sitting here this way, on the hood of Easton’s truck, watching fireflies swirling through the night. In the distance, the sound of kids in the maze still echoed but Easton had dragged her out and to this place, refusing to take no for an answer.
The insects punctuated the silence between them.
After that smoldering kiss-attack in the maze, she would have thought he would have tried to touch her at least, but he sat inches away, not even attempting to lay a hand on her.
What had changed?
“Dammit,” he said softly.
Her heart made a swift drop, like the earth had fallen out from under her feet. Pivoting her head to look at his solemn profile, she said, “You might as well say it.”
He looked at her. “What do you think it is I should say?”
“That we aren’t cut out for a relationship. That you made a mistake and you’re sorry you kissed me those times.”
He was shaking her head halfway through her dialogue. “I don’t regret it. Not one goddamn bit.”
“Then what?”
He reached out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist, his hands so large that his fingers overlapped. Slowly, he pulled her across the sleek hood of the truck until they were touching. A shiver worked its way through her, followed by a thrill that was both excitement and fear.
He cupped her face in both hands, staring deeply into her eyes. “Lilah. I don’t regret anything we’ve done. I only regret that— Hell with it.” He brought his lips down across hers. This time the sensation was completely different—not hard and demanding, driven by hormones. But this time his kiss was gentle, lingering.
Her heart gave a wild flip at the pure emotion he poured into her. She relaxed in his hold, leaning against him until he lay back and she toppled onto his chest with her knees tucked around his hips.
His hot tongue worked back and forth over hers, dragging harsh breaths from her and groans from him. He drew back and gazed up at her. “God, you’re amazing, Lilah. I’ve made plenty
of mistakes in my life, but you’re not one of them. I won’t let you be one of them.”
Fear struck her. She pushed off his chest. “What are you talking about? Just be straight with me. Do you have a girlfriend already? Back home?”
His eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? Hell no, I don’t have a girlfriend. What kind of man do you think I am?”
She twisted so her backside was firmly on the hood again and she slid down it until her boots touched the ground. He landed next to her and braced his hands on each side of the hood around her, blocking her from walking away.
“Know how I told you I got probation from my job?”
She nodded, unable to make out where this was going.
“Well, they just called me tonight, offered me a position as crew leader.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. It’s a job I’ve wanted for a while, but I’m not ready to leave Paradise Valley either.”
“I’m sure the Daltons will welcome you back whenever you can make it.” Inside, her heart was being crushed under the weight of what he was telling her, like a tractor running over grasses until they lay flat.
He bent until his nose brushed hers, his lips inches away. “It’s not my family I’m worried about. I’m worried about you, baby.”
She already felt herself back off, ripping off the Band-Aid, so to speak. He’d go back to the rig and she wouldn’t see him for weeks on end. Sure, he’d try to see her once or twice on his off times, but then it would become too hard to keep things going. Long-distance relationships never worked.
While she told herself it was for the best, inside she was already weeping like that ten-year-old girl rejected by the boy she’d never hoped to draw attention from.
He slipped his fingers into her short hair. “Can I still see you?” he asked softly, seriously.
For a wild second, she almost agreed. Then she said, “No.” And scooted out from under his arm and walked away.
“Dammit. No.” He came after her, caught her around the middle and hauled her back into his arms. She trembled there for a second, feeling far too much to voice or ever, ever admit.
“We aren’t really seeing each other, Easton. We aren’t… involved.”